Mountain Chile Cha Cha Half Marathon #8

FREAKING TOUGH.  That’s the best I can describe half marathon #8.  I was tested in a completely new way during this race and I learned to further respect the mind and body, despite the slowest time I've ever run.

The picture doesn't do justice to the
amount of climb I had to do during
this race.

The “features” of the Mountain Chile Cha Cha, in Pagosa Springs, CO, included 2,300 foot of climb during the 13.1 miles, beautiful scenery and trails full of single and double track, big rocks and oh yeah, all that climbing.  The ultimate challenge of this race is that it took place at 7,200 feet.  That would be about 6,200 feet or more than central Iowa.  Since I don’t live at or train at altitude it’s pretty tough for this gal to get any form of controlled breathing.  I did have several days to acclimate but when you have moments in the race where you’re climbing over 400 feet and you’re just not used to it, it’s tiring.  Let’s just say I walked my fair share of this race.

Jason ran the 10k race
while I lined up for
the half marathon.

I had been nervous in the days leading up to the race as we hiked a small part of the trail and I was winded just walking.  I knew though it would be good for me to experience something different, something that didn’t feel “safe” but something that would test me.  The race started around 8:30 which meant I didn’t have to get up so early for fuel and warm up.  The race included three distances; the half, a 10k and a 5k.  Jason felt good after his race a week prior so he decided to run the 10k, so he lined up with me at the starting line.  All races started at the same time and took a similar route at the beginning.

As the race commenced, I tried to pace myself as there was immediate climb within the first mile of the race.  I was happy because I ran the entire initial climb.  As we came back down the hill and took a right to head into some uphill switchbacks, I eventually had to stop and take mini walk breaks.  I knew that coming in but it’s still a little disheartening to stop so early in the race.  Regardless, I really pushed myself forward.  We went up and down the trail and eventually our race wound its way onto private property (with the same terrain).  Apparently in previous years they stayed on the public trail and there’s not enough for long races so they had run part of it in town.  This year they negotiated with the landowners to use it for the 10k and half marathon so that runners could enjoy the trail the whole race (thank you!).

Getting closer to the finish
line of the toughest race
I've done this year.

We eventually made a left turn into some difficult terrain and then flew down a hill to a very flat section of the race.  My knees were starting to hurt because we were really pounding down those hills and while the ground was relatively soft there were lots of rocks and boulders at times that could be a little tough under foot.  We reached an aid station at the bottom and began our journey around the flat portion of the race.  As we came around a trail, I noticed a cluster of pink flags (used to mark the route) but didn’t see anything up a hill beyond them.  The four or five people ahead of me kept going straight so I followed them. I didn’t think that felt right but kept going until we came back to the same aid station at the start of the flat.  I saw people coming from a different direction and a guy told me we had missed a whole loop back there.

I didn’t come all the way out here to only run 11 or 12 miles.  I turned around and headed back to that turn.  However, no one who was immediately ahead of me did.  That is really frustrating.  I was incredibly frustrated that the organizers didn’t mark the trail well enough (after the race, Jason and his parents told me stories of at least half a dozen other racers who got lost or cut spots short because it wasn’t marked as well or the people in charge of yelling out directions were too busy talking to each other).  I was frustrated that my time was going to suffer while other people went on and cut the race short.  So I basically added almost another half mile to my race but I’m glad I went back and did the course correctly.  While unfortunate issues happen, I’m also glad that during the majority of the races I haven’t had to deal with course issues which make for a more pleasurable race.

Making the final push to
the finish line at the
Mountain Chile Cha Cha!

The frustration, the sun and the distance were starting to get to me and I noticed I had to stop and catch my breath on relatively flat spots.  I was getting down.  This is probably one of the most physically demanding races I’ve ever done in any sport.  I wanted to be done but I wasn’t going to let a few hills and a mistake stop me.

After going by the same aid station again, I knew what was coming.  The climb out of mile 8 to 10 was almost all straight up.  I walked the majority of those miles because the grade was too much.  I was bent over trying to walk up and a few times I actually had to stop and stand still to catch my breath.  Most other people were walking too and I presumed at least some of them were locals (and more used to altitude) so it made me feel a little better.  After a bit of running on straight trail, I came to a monster hill that we had run down earlier in the race and now we had to hike up.  It was enough that I had to stop and put my hands on the ground because I didn’t know if I had the energy or strength to keep going.

There wasn’t a single moment that I looked at my watch during this race.  I knew my time would be much slower than my other races and I didn’t want it to bother me.  At that moment during the race, when I had to put my hands on the ground and just try to breath, I knew finishing this race would mean more to me than running my fastest time or running on some boring, flat trail.  I picked myself back up, started walking, and switched from walking and running for awhile over the next mile or so on the race.  I finally reached the same switchbacks I ran at the beginning of the race, except it was all downhill from this point in the race.  I put one foot in front of the other and ran the rest of the way to the finish.  I crossed the line in 2:29, with my extra almost .5 mile.  I had a lot of mixed emotions but glad that I finished.

Jason and I celebrating
at the finish line!

As I peered back up at the race course and crazy high hills, I realized that what I just accomplished was not something done by the majority.  I am very thankful for a body that has the ability to traverse those climbs and a mind and spirit that wouldn’t let me give up.  I had to call in a few favors to both to get me though the race and it worked!  While I am very excited to have had the opportunity to run this race, I’m also secretly glad that there aren’t any more races at altitude or with that kind of climb left on my schedule this year :)  I’m sure they’ll have their own challenges and obstacles but something a little closer to my training environment will put me at a little more ease.

Miss FitGab